Are you High Elf? Is Felwithe your start city? Are you at least indifferent faction (/con)? If you're high Elf and faction is ok, he should talk to you. However, there have been some bugs with racial NPCs and start city being Crescent Reach. Most notably the Adventurer's Stone quest NPCs. If it is Crescent Reach, you may try the Artisian there, in case that works. And either way, I'd /petition or at least /bug it, if you are High Elf race and Indifferent or better faction.
EDIT: Tested it out on a Silver High Elf Clr with Crescent Reach as starting city, and CR Artisian wouldn't talk to me. Said something like 'Hmm... There's something about you I don't exactly trust. If you're looking for work, perhaps you should return to your own kind.' Got first impressions task no problem from this page's Artisian in N. Felwithe.
Artisan Elistar Vorann says 'Hello, Candlea. Welcome back to the fair city of [Felwithe]. You must tell me of your travels!' You say, 'I am just glad to be back in Felwithe' Artisan Elistar Vorann says 'While you were away, we have made much advancement. Our trade alliance with Kaladim has secured us fresh mithril from their mines. In the meantime, our artisans have been refining our armor [designs] in preparation for the new alloys.' You say, 'What designs?' Artisan Elistar Vorann says 'Yes, our old designs relied too heavily on the stopping power of the materials used in the armor. The new designs promote lighter, more flexible armor suits while providing the same amount of protection. It's difficult to explain until you have worn a new suit yourself. Would you be [interested] in these new armor patterns, or have you heard about the beneficial [symbols] I have discovered?' You say, 'I would be interested' Artisan Elistar Vorann says 'Very well. To make you a pattern book, I'll need some zombie skin and darkbone marrow from the Estate of Unrest. I can use those to create the cover and ink for the book. I'll also need some of the battle beads from Crushbone to help bind the book and a rotting orc tooth to complete the ink. Bring me these things and the pattern book shall be yours.' You say, 'What of the symbols?' Artisan Elistar Vorann says 'I have found a great many symbols that can be created and added to our new armor designs. Once you placed these symbols on the armor the effect is nothing short of amazing. The capabilities of the armor are improved beyond the sum of its parts. Though there is a certain consistency to them, there is also a level of on the spot inspiration needed when making the symbols. I will give you a book that you can use as a basis for the symbol patterns if you can prove your ability to seek inspiration. Take as many of the tasks I offer you as you wish too. During these tasks you will make impressions of certain things that you find in the impression book I will give you. This magical book can make impression of objects with depth to them or just of the pattern on the surface of an object.'
At this point, after saying symbols, you get a task window. You may say symbols over and over until you have all the tasks.
You'll need the 200 Seal Pattern from the Darkhollow Geode task to make Cosgrove Soloist seals. There is not a recipe that I know of for chest seals (type 17 augments).
he is located at -64 / -394, the building called "emerald armor" across the bank. step into the house, in the far away corner from entrance you'll find the steps to upper floor. take the first door to the right and you'll see him.